PIMPS AND POLITICIANS
In John Gay’s satirical 18th century work “The Beggar’s Opera’, one of the lyrics has a particular aptness for what is happening today.
It goes like this –
“In Pimps and Politicians
The genius is the same,
Both raise their own conditions
On other’s sin and shame…..”
Now this may seem a very cynical view of our politicians, but in view of the endless scandals which have emerged from John Gay’s day to this, there does seem to be an element of truth in this ditty!
In the last five decades – during which I have been vaguely conscious of the world of politics – one scandal seems to have followed another with depressing rapidity. These scandals appear to be divided between those of a sexual nature and those with a financial aspect. At this particular moment the preoccupation is with finance regarding the ‘Panama Papers’, and these are having huge impact and have got our journalists and all the Twitterers in a state of great excitement and moral indignation.
I hold no particular brief for Cameron – I have a rather low view of all our politicians – but he would appear to have an almost impossible job. He does work extremely hard and up until now has appeared to have been managing his party and his personal life as well as he could in the circumstances (which are pretty dire with seemingly unsolvable problems on all sides). Now his dam would appear to have burst and the knives are out – mainly because of his father’s involvement with the Panama scandal. I am slightly shocked by the hypocritical reaction and hysterical outbursts in the press over what appears in Cameron’s case to be something he is not responsible for. We really can’t be expected to carry the blame for what our parents have done as well as the blame for what we do ourselves. I am of the opinion that as long as he hasn’t broken the law, his personal finances should be allowed to remain private. Compared with ex-Prime Minister Blair’s antics and his accumulated vast wealth which would appear to be down to a severe case of avarice – David Cameron seems comparatively blameless. He is paid a modest salary compared to other similar professions – and very minor compared to the fat cats of industry, who have far less responsibility than that of a man trying to run an entire country in a very unstable world.
No – what I DO care about is WHY this ridiculous hot air over the Panama Papers’ is taking up all the time of our politicians just at a time when our country is beset with the most terrible problems.
We have a health service that is low in morale and unable to deliver a proper service with the junior doctors going on monthly strikes. This is a problem that needs to be sorted – NOW. People are beginning to suffer badly and the politicians need to pull their fingers out – Jeremy Hunt and YOUR government PLEASE find a solution.
On top of this there is the steel crisis, the housing shortages, the immigration problem, the education policy – not to mention whether we should stay in the EU or leave.
What are Jeremy Corbyn and the Opposition doing? Why are they concentrating on the bank statements of one man – who doesn’t appear to have done anything particularly wrong except like many people inherited some money from his father? Why are they ignoring all the major problems which they should be tackling with urgency?
Maybe John Gay is right. A pimp could do the job just as well – he couldn’t really do it worse!
Get off your backsides politicians – and start doing the job for which you were elected and paid – sorting out the country’s real problems!
PS There is an excellent article in this month’s The Oldie about how everyone’s (not mine) favourite politician – Boris Johnson – has changed the London skyline in the most disastrous way. It is yet another scandal – but I will return to it later as this is quite enough of a rant for one day!